In the context of the electoral campaign for the presidential elections of November 1, 2020, civil society organizations, the Council for the Prevention and Elimination of Discrimination and Ensuring Equality and the Press Council draw attention to the fact that hate speech and incitement to discrimination in the public space and in the mass media in The Republic of Moldova is increasingly used and grows in intensity in electoral campaigns.

In the context of the electoral campaign for the presidential elections of November 1, 2020, civil society organizations, the Council for the Prevention and Elimination of Discrimination and Ensuring Equality and the Press Council draw attention to the fact that hate speech and incitement to discrimination in the public space and in the mass media in The Republic of Moldova is increasingly used and grows in intensity in electoral campaigns. According to Promo-LEX data, in the last two years, the number of cases of hate speech has doubled (from 2 to 4.2 cases per day), this type of speech appearing predominantly in a political context (47.5% of total number of cases). At the same time, the monitoring of hate speech by the Promo-LEX Association in the context of the new local elections in Chisinau, on May 20, 2018, the parliamentary elections of February 24, 2019 and the general local elections of October 20, 2019, confirms the increase in the dynamics of hate speech in the periods pre-electoral and electoral, and its decrease after the end of the elections. The monitoring data show that candidates and their sympathizers, as well as politicians, are both authors of hate speech and victims. More often than not, hate speech against this group is used and spread by other politicians, thus creating a vicious circle. At the same time, through their status, politicians who use hate speech cause the rooting of prejudices, the development of negative attitudes in society and even the appearance of forms of violence against other social groups. On the other hand, the media remains the most important source of spreading intolerance in the public space. For example, only between August and November 2019, the 516 cases of hate speech identified by Promo-LEX recorded 6,288,058 views online, which represents 51,541 views per day. Also, some media institutions and journalists use hate speech and incite discrimination, including by promoting prejudices against politicians, women, LGBTI people, people with disabilities, etc. In this sense, in the context of the electoral campaign for the presidential elections of November 1, 2020, the signatories of the call recommend politicians, electoral competitors and their sympathizers, as well as media institutions and journalists to refrain from using hate speech and incitement to discrimination and to contribute to promoting a balanced public discourse. Thus, the signatories of the call urge: Candidates and their sympathizers, as well as politicians: a) To respect the dignity of all persons regardless of race, color, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or beliefs, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, spoken language, political affiliation or any other protected criterion; b) To use respectful language in relation to the counter-candidates and their political opponents; c) To promote clean public discourse in political activity and, in particular, in the electoral campaign; d) Not to admit the use of hate speech and incitement to discrimination against different social groups; e) Not to use sexist images, inciting hatred and discrimination in the electoral campaign materials; f) Not to express, support or promote ideas or theories regarding the superiority of a group of people based on race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, other protected personal characteristics or an association thereof. Media institutions: a) Not to multiply the speech of hatred and incitement to discrimination in the electoral campaign, but also outside it, by using stereotypes and prejudices against various social groups or without clear disapproval of such behavior; b) To moderate the comments of hatred and incitement to discrimination appearing on their pages in social media recipes or in the footer of articles on their web pages; c) To reflect responsibly, with due explanations and with critical reflections, sensitive topics that target a certain group, in order to avoid stigmatizing them. Journalists: a) To inform the public about the electoral campaign and to promote a respectful and balanced language without the use of sexist and derogatory images or the use of headlines that emphasize the elements of discrimination, attack, denigration, aggression, hatred or violence; b) To inform equidistantly and objectively without presenting some social groups only in negative contexts; c) To intervene and disapprove of messages of hate and/or incitement to discrimination said by guests in TV, Radio, online shows, etc.; d) To report cases of hate speech to the Audiovisual Council; e) To submit complaints to the Council for the prevention and elimination of discrimination and ensuring equality when they are victims of hate speech and/or incitement to discrimination It has. Organizations and signatory authorities: Promo-LEX Association Council for preventing and eliminating discrimination and ensuring equality Press Council of the Republic of Moldova Legal Resources Center of Moldova Platform for Gender Equality Coalition for Inclusion and Non-discrimination Public Association "Gender Center" Association "Women for a contemporary society" Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture "Memoria" Militant Alina Cebotari Conflict Development Institute "INRECO" Gender expert Galina Precup Public Association "50/50 Women's Political Club" Human Rights Resource Center (CReDO) Public Association "Pro-Cimișlia" Public Association "Midava" Public Association "Honor and Rights of Contemporary Women" WatchDog.MD Community Keystone International Moldova Foreign Policy Association (APE) Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE) Independent Press Association (API) Public Association BIOS Association on for Waste Valorification (AVD) Alliance of NGOs active in the field of Child and Family Social Protection (APSCF) Urban Development Institute Business Professional Women Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul" Local Democracy Agency Moldova (LDA) National Council of the Youth of Moldova (CNTM) Alliance INFONET Center for Independent Journalism (CJI) Pro Regional Cooperation Transparency International Moldova LEADER National Network International Association of Eco-River Keepers Eco-TIRAS Association ECOTOX Independent Analytical Center EXPERT-GRUP European Institute of Political Studies from Moldova Eco Association -Răzeni Institutum Virtutes Civiles Association "Women and the Child - Protection and Support" Association for Participatory Democracy "ADEPT" Institute of Public Policies (IPP) Ecological Movement of Moldova Development Training Institute "MilleniuM" Women's Association for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development Founders of Soros-Moldova Alliance of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities "Eco-Sor" Association Association for Efficient and Responsible Governance (AGER) INVENTO Public Association "Caroma-Nord" Center for Policies and Reforms (CPR) Eco Contact Association Union of disabled organizations from Moldova ( UOI RM) Association for the Rehabilitation of Invalids from RM (ARIM) REC Moldova